iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Look, I hope I’m wrong and border search exception actually isn’t as broad as I think it is. I’m also not a lawyer so maybe I’m missing something. My original point was simply that this guy created an unnecessary legal fiasco for himself by wiping the phone after it was seized.

Sorry it took me awhile to double check everything and fit it into one message.

18 U.S.C. § 2232(a) makes it a crime to intentionally destroy, damage, hide, transfer, or otherwise dispose of property in order to prevent the government from lawfully seizing or keeping that property. This applies before, during, or after a lawful search or seizure.

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Because the border search exception makes those requirements much lower than they would be elsewhere.

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Under the border search exception cbp only need to suspect a violation has occurred to temporarily seize your property as evidence. You can literally google this. They don’t need a warrant or probable cause. They just need to suspect you committed a crime.

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Here’s the first sentence of the Wikipedia entry: “In United States criminal law, the border search exception is a doctrine that allows searches and seizures at international borders and their functional equivalent without a warrant or probable cause.”

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I keep trying to tell you they don’t need a warrant or even probable cause. They just need to suspect that it’s evidence of a crime to treat it as such.

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The problem is that he didn’t wipe the phone before entering. They seized his phone, asked for the password, and then he provided them a fake password that wiped the phone.

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I’m trying to tell you that the border search exception specifically exempts CBP from needing a warrant to search people AND treat their property as evidence. They have a literal exception to the 4th amendment.

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CBP doesn’t need a warrant to search or seize your stuff if they think it’s evidence of a crime. You can google the border search exception and read up on it yourself if you don’t believe me.

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The border search exception means they don’t need a warrant. So he’s screwed unless the courts decide to overturn decades of precedent or carve out a special exception for phone data.

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If he had wiped the phone prior to the search it would’ve been fine. The problem is that he provided a code that wiped the phone after it had been confiscated as evidence.

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Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

CBP doesn’t need a court order to search electronic devices at the border. They have the Border Search Exception to the 4th Amendment. He should’ve just refused to provide a password & got a lawyer. Now there’s a good chance he ends up in prison because he knowingly provided a “trap” code.

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They could’ve fought the investigation in court or refused to give the password, but responding to law enforcement asking for a password as part of an investigation by giving a fake one that wipes the phone creates a new crime, possibly separate from the original investigations lawfulness.

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Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

I think that’s only a short term solution. We’ve been seeing basically every developing country start to experience declining birthrates as they industrialize. As conditions at home improve & birth rates decline, I think competition for immigrants will rise while the actual quantity of them shrinks.

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Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

I know nothing about this game but the goodies are neat.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

So if I understand correctly: 1) Green card holders who commit crimes don’t get the “already admitted” treatment, 2) this means when you try to re-enter the country while having pending charges you get treated as seeking admission, & 3) this makes it easier to deport you.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Were ICE aware of the extent of her mental disabilities? This feels different from when they dumped that blind guy at a random coffee shop.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Accusations of sexual assault should be taken seriously & reflexively dismissing them because they might feed into certain narratives is immoral. Them not immediately pressing charges/suing isnt proof of anything either. There can be any number of reasons why an SA victim wouldn’t do so.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Basically SCOTUS wants majority minority districts to be treated like any other district. In a world without gerrymandering this wouldn’t be a big problem. Unfortunately we don’t yet live in such a world.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

Hot Take: I think voluntary work programs are good. They provide prisoners with a way to make at least some money while serving their sentence while also helping offset the costs of feeding them, housing them, & staffing the prison.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

They clearly lack the naming sense of the person who named the county.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

The problem is that you’re denying voters the ability to decide for themselves what is “worth the risk” and I think in doing so you would harm democracy more. You’re responding to voters electing old people by banning old people from running rather than convincing voters to change their votes.

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Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

Because the voters decided they wanted to elect that person in spite of that risk. That’s democracy.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

Personally I think if people want to elect a 90 year old to office then they should be able to. Why deny voters the choice?

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Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

From this headline you’d think Trump was plotting a coup rather than setting up a latin American version of fox news.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

I just know there’s some conspiracy nut out there who is genuinely hyped about the UFO files.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

Why didn’t they do this earlier? What was the point of fighting with democrats for months when they could just do this? Has something changed?

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Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

This is literally just the “Is it ethical to abort a fetus for having X disability” discourse but with trans people. I remember similar arguments about deaf people.

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Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Couldn’t these problems be solved by simply expanding work visa programs?

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

It’s seems pretty clear the admin must have some agreement with Mexico otherwise Mexico wouldn’t accept the deportees and would have spoken out by now.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

“Paktyawal was eating breakfast when medical staff noted that his tongue had become swollen, prompting a medical response. He was declared dead only after multiple attempts at resuscitation” what on earth causes this? Some kind of allergy? This is such a weird way to die.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

If I’m understanding this correctly then isn’t there nothing stopping Trump from trying again after allowing opinions to be heard (which he can ignore)?

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Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 07/03/2026

Besides political polarization I also think Americans are just a lot less naive. You can only see so many news reports about the worst examples of humanity before you start viewing people a bit more cynically. There’s a reason Americans don’t let their kids go out alone anymore.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

If you make less the $69,000 or have a disability then you should check out your local VITA site and they will help you prepare your taxes for free.

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Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

I feel reluctantly relieved. At this point I don’t think any amount of diplomacy could stop Iran pursuing nukes. Stopping halfway would leave an intact regime more determined than ever to acquire nukes. On the other hand, none of this would be happening if Trump hadn’t torn up our old nuclear deal.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 28/02/2026

I’d wait for independent confirmation before taking the words of Iranian state media at face value. I just don’t see what either US or Israel would gain from bombing a random school.

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Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Honestly the fact that even in the wake of ICEs extreme actions 44% still favor deporting even non-violent illegal immigrants should not be taken as a sign that Americans are okay with illegal immigration but rather that they hate ICEs response to it even more.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

Honestly it still debatable whether this is bad for AIPAC. Arguably its better for AIPAC if Mejia wins since the fully Anti-Israel faction has very little influence in congress. A popular moderate on the other hand could potentially convince other moderates to support Israel less.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

I’m glad the government at least has come up with a plan to address this. People think this only affects lenders but when lenders lose out they stop lending which makes it much harder for poorer people to get an education.

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Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

I don’t see how quitting helps the detainees at all? Doesn’t this just make things even worse for them?

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Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

I imagine the numbers were likely even higher before ICE went on a rampage.

Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

I doubt most people would be okay with no longer enforcing immigration laws, which is what most people are gonna interpret “abolish ICE” or “Abolish DHS” to mean. It feels like “defund the police” all over again. Why not just say “replace ICE” instead?

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Niteowl97 @niteowl97.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

Am I the only person worried about a serious safety hazard being created on a public road? People could get broken tailbones or head injuries.